The solar-powered garden lantern I bought recently has tarnished metal after experiencing ONE day of rain. The microwave we purchased a few months ago has bubbling plastic over the control buttons. What do these two objects have in common? They were both Made in China. How long are we going to put up with shoddy production and low standards? Are we just supposed to accept that things will last 5 minutes when they should really last 5 years or more? Do you know how hard it is to find ANY kitchen appliance made in Canada, the U.S., or the U.K.? It’s almost impossible. This is what North America has done to itself by moving manufacturing to other countries (basically by being cheap, greedy, union-busting, shortsighted, and stupid).

I’m going to return these items without their boxes and without receipts as a matter of principle and because I’m irritated. And maybe I really don’t need solar lanterns and microwaves anyway. I’ll light the yard with candles and adopt a raw food diet.